Experimental food corner: Harvest golds.

[rivka]

It's been a while since I've posted from the experimental food corner. I keep meaning to post my recipe for smoked gouda-stuffed hamburgers, for example, but their time has not yet come. I'm too excited by tonight's experiment.

A few weeks ago, I tried a side dish recipe from the New Joy of Cooking: carmelized sweet potatoes and apples. It was very, very good - intensely apple-y and not too sweet. I kept thinking that it would make a nice base for a one-pot supper. Tonight I gave it a try.

First, I fried up four slices of extremely thick-cut bacon in my biggest skillet. I put the bacon to drain on some paper towels and poured off all but a tablespoon or so of the grease. Then I browned about a pound of diced chicken in the remaining bacon grease.

When the chicken was just browned, I added three large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" half-moons, and three gala apples, cored and cut into eighths but not peeled. I added a lump of butter (a little less than two tablespoons, I guess), about 1/3 cup of packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of water. Stirred everything around, covered it up, and let it cook down vigorously for about twenty minutes. The sweet potatoes and apples steamed, grew soft, and developed a rich golden-brown sheen. The chicken soaked up an intense apple flavor. The liquid boiled away into a light syrupy coating. Just before serving, I crumbled in the bacon. It added just the right touch of saltiness.

I wish I'd thought to take a picture of my plate before it was almost scoured clean. curiousangel and wcg also say: two thumbs up.

If I had it to do again, I would change... um, nothing. It was really tasty.

Comments

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Excuse me while I put this in my memories.

This sounds *wonderful*. Must try it soon!

[curiousangel.livejournal.com]

I think you meant to say that we voted for the dish with *four* thumbs up -- tastytastytasty!!!

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

That sounds wonderful! One question, though -- what size dice of chicken did you use? Was it pre-cooked?

I am definitely trying this. Soon.

[crazysoph.livejournal.com]

Introducing myself, after adding your journal to my reading list; I've been "dropping by" for awhile, but now I'm finally giving in and just adding it to the stuff I read every day.

Good seeing all the words, about food, kid, work, home... looking forward to more, thanks!

Crazy(who? me? Er, eh, *shy smile*)Soph

[sashajwolf.livejournal.com]

Oh, I must try that too!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I am so sad that of the two people I live with, one dislikes apples and the other sweet potatoes. Because this sounds wonderful.

[minnaleigh.livejournal.com]

That sounds wonderful!!!

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

Added to my memories under "recipes"; I hope you don't mind.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Again with the yoinked for memories. This sounds _wonderful_.

Harvest golds

[sashajwolf.livejournal.com]

I made this on Monday evening, and it was delicious. I used applewood-smoked bacon steaks, which I then cubed, since they don't crumble. To up our vegetable intake, I also added half a pound of chestnut mushrooms, quartered, after adding the apples. For orangebird, who is vegetarian, I used two kinds of Quorn (a mushroom protein which unfortunately is not available in the US) - bacon-style rashers and chicken-style pieces. I thought both versions worked very well. Thanks again!